Recently, Troy McMullin and I ventured to Smith Rock State Park to enjoy the low elevation snow to be found there. It was the first sunny day in quite some time and we both were happy to get out of the clouds that had been inhabiting Central Oregon. I am repeatedly amazed at how stunning the Smith Rock area is. I’m convince that if it was located east of the Mississippi River, it would have been made into a national park long ago. With its stunning colors, vertical towers the Crooked River flowing around its periphery, and with Gray Butte as a backdrop it is simply an amazing place to visit. Personally, I think it surpasses anything outside of Utah with its rugged, rocky appeal. Of course it is world famous for its Rock Climbing and less so for its hiking, mt. biking, and photo opportunities.
The Monument and snow at Smith Rock State Park
One of the less obvious but very photo worthy rock features at Smith Rock is the Monument. I’ve always been very fond of this photo location and Troy seemingly has developed something of an obsession with the scene. Please click the following link to visit Pacific Crest Stock . It is the stock photography company that Troy and I will be launching shortly after New Years. In the link included you’ll find some other very nice photos of Smith Rock and the high desert areas of Central and Eastern Oregon.
The snow cover made for some interesting textures and mid range details in our images. If you or anyone you know visits Smith Rock while it is still snow covered, please be careful. The snow adds a level of danger to the scene as well as beauty. The prominent basalt columns along the Crooked River Canyon are especially dangerous when snow covered. Obviously they are slippery, but many small crevices are now snow covered creating many hidden and potentially dangerous pitfalls. Be careful if venturing near any cliff edges for photo, climbing, or sight seeing purposes.
Smith Rock towers and snow covered basalt columns
Above is a photo of Smith Rock from high above the Crooked River Canyon featuring some slippery yet attractive snow covered basalt columns in the foreground with some rocky snow covered spires in the background. The light was not optimal for some areas of the park but the exploring was exceptional and beautiful from every angle, even if photo conditions were slightly less than perfect. It is rather rare to have this much snow at Smith Rock and blue skies because the snow tends to melt of quickly at that elevation when the sun appears on the scene. I captured the next photo from an entirely different area of Smith Rock. This rock formation is to the left after you cross the bridge over the Crooked River. It has some beautiful pastel hues in its rock formations but is quite dangerous for rock climbing purposes as I’m told that it is rather crumbly.
Smith Rock and the frozen Crooked River covered in snow.
One of the surprising things about this photo adventure was how thoroughly the Crooked River was frozen. The clouds behind this impressive rock formation are a bit disappointing in that they obscure South Sister peaking out to the left side of the rock formation. I like how the snowy juniper trees frame the bottom of this picture and the curvature of the Crooked River(perhaps this is why it’s called the Crooked River!) emphasizes the shape of the giant rock formation at the south end of Smith Rock. Finally I’ll include a detail shot of one of my favorite rock formations. Smith Rock is a wonderland for photos, hiking, biking, and virtually any outdoor activity and I love the big western scenes there. This being said, perhaps my favorite aspect of Smith Rock State Park is the small details I find upon intimate inspection of this stunning location. Like so many other spots at Smith Rock, the following photo reveals beauty in its finer details.
Smith Rock winter details
I love the varied color palette visible in this picture. The rust, aqua, and oranges all enlivened by the snowy details on these intricate rock formations. It is finding perspectives like this that has become my favorite aspect of photography explorations of Smith Rock.
If anybody is interested in a beautiful and snowy perspective of Smith Rock, now is the time for a hike as the snow often does not last long in this area of the high desert of Central Oregon and please be careful near cliff edges as the snowy beauty harbors some seasonal dangers that are best avoided. Happy Holidays!
Dec 27, 2008 | Central Oregon Fine Art Landscape Photography, Oregon Landscape photography blog entries | Leave A Comment »
While on a recent trail run, with Debbie, I was stunned by the fall color in Shevlin Park, one of the true jewels in Bend’s park system. I’ve been there hundreds of times before but this time was different. During our usual Shevlin Park Trail Loop run, I found myself repeatedly stumbling while craning my neck for a better look at the outstanding fall color. I’ve never witnessed such a display there especially along Tumalo Creek near the far end of the loop trail. I returned three times specifically for photographic purposes and got better images than ever before from that location. Below is perhaps my favorite. I love the flow of the water, the color is of course excellent, and the fact that I was able to work a couple Ponderosa trees into the composition. Shevlin Park was thankfully spared from logging and therefore has a wonderful assortment of medium to old growth ponderosa trees. Including ponderosas in the composition helped capture what Shevlin Park means to me.
Beautiful fall color emanates from the riparian banks of Shevlin Park's Tumalo Creek.
The above image was captured near the up stream end of the Shevlin Park Loop making it a little more than a short stroll to get there. The next image was taken closer to the park’s parking area. It shows Larch trees(sometimes referred to as tamarack trees) in vibrant autumn color framing the distant Tumalo Creek which runs through Shevlin Park. as many of you know, Larch trees are the only evergreen trees that lose their needles annually. Is that an oxymoron or what? Shortly before losing their needles they turn an attractive golden color.
Larch trees in autumn color along Shevlin Park's Tumalo Creek in Bend, Oregon
Finally I’ll include a closer image of Tumalo Creek’s atractive flow pattern adorned by autumn color on both of its shores.
Autumn color along the banks of Shevlin Park's Tumalo Creek
Hopefully, my large format images from these sessions will turn out as well as the digital versions and I’ll finally make a fine art print that does justice to one of my favorite Bend area locations. In the future, I hope to give quick accounts of some of my outings so that others can share in beautiful Central Oregon locations at their seasonal best. If you know of other hikers, trail runners, backpackers or outdoor enthusiasts who would like seasonal trail updates for the Central Oregon area, Please link them to the following website Bend Oregon Hiking.
Nov 09, 2008 | Central Oregon Fine Art Landscape Photography, Oregon Landscape photography blog entries | 4 Comments »
Some of my favorite Central Oregon hiking areas are the alpine basins that surround Broken Top Mountain, located in the Three Sisters Wilderness Area near Mt. Bachelor. There are several beautiful hiking trails that hive good access to amazing alpine scenery high on the flanks of Broken Top, including the Tam McArthur Rim Trail, Park Meadows Trail, Green Lakes Trail, the Crater Ditch Trail, and the Broken Top Crater Trail. All these trails have their own unique visual attractions and different time frames at which they are at their floral apex. This of course means that , as a backcountry photographer I’m forced to make several photographic journeys to Broken Top every year. What torture. Tam McArthur Rim is one of the first Hikes my wife and I did when we moved to Oregon. It is beautiful, rugged, not too difficult, and easily accesible from the city of Sisters, Oregon, where we lived at the time. We now live in Bend, Oregon but the Sisters area still holds a special place in our hearts.
One of my favorite images of Tam McArthur Rim, which extends eastward from the shoulders of Broken Top and is highly visible from the city of Sisters is found below.
Middle Sister, North Sister, Mt Washington, Three Fingered Jack, and Mt. Jefferson as seen from Tam McArthur Rim
This shot was taken from Tam McArthur Rim and displays Middle Sister, North Sister, Mt. Washington, Three Fingered Jack and Mt. Jefferson to the far right. Obviously it was a spectacular sunset, one well worth the hike and even worth the uneasy feeling that comes with a cold hike out in the dark of night. Another of my favorite locations on Broken Top is the area covered by Broken Top Trail. This trail starts at a high elevation and stays there. The next image is from a couple years ago but I’m still fond of it. It was taken in the glacial basin at the southern end of the Broken Top trail.
Broken Top as seen from the end of the Broken Top Trail with a wildflower foreground in Central Oregon.
Finally I’ll include several images from a recent series of explorations on the east side of Broken Top. I scouted this area several times within the same week and decided the flowers would soon climax. I then made sunrise outings on consecutive mornings to appropriately capture what I considered an exceptional floral display with a gorgeous back drop of Broken Top’s crater. The first morning, the light was poor and it was very hazy due to forest fires in the vicinity. The next was different. I awoke at 3:30 AM grabbed my enormous backpack full of cameras and lenses and drove to Sparks Lake to determine if the conditions warranted a long drive down forest service road 1370 with an hour long off trail hike carrying 50 pounds of gear to follow, all before sunrise. The conditions at Sparks Lake were questionable at best. Broken Top was completely obscured except for occasional glimpses of its summit. I envisioned moody light enhancing an already gorgeous foreground backed by the theatre of Broken Top’s pinnacles intertwined with misty morning clouds. This was one of those mornings where I gambled and won! Below are several images I’m thrilled with and I feel the best is yet to come. Only on exceptional occasions like this do I shoot with my 4×5 camera with the hope that a beautiful fine art print will be the ultimate reward. When the light was at its most dramatic, I utilized my 4×5 film camera and when it was less optimal, I shot with my high end digital SLR. So, what you see are essentially the second class images from a special morning. I’ll let everyone know if the prints come out as well as I hope they will. Regardless, enjoy the next few images and please let me know which you prefer by leaving comments at the end of this article.
Central Oregon's broken Top shrouded in mystic clouds and fronted by a beautiful field of flowers.
Broken Top with a foreground of Indian paintbrush, senecio, larkspur and pink monkeyflowers
Even Mt. Bachelor posed for a few images.
Overall it was a beautiful and rewarding morning in one of my favorite backcountry locations, high on the flanks of Broken Top Mountain, in the heart of the Central Oregon Cascades.
Nov 01, 2008 | Central Oregon Fine Art Landscape Photography, Oregon Landscape photography blog entries | 3 Comments »
The Cascade Lakes Highway near Bend,Oregon is arguably one of the prettiest drives in the United States and is filled with outdoor adventure options. Fishing, skiing at Mt. Bachelor, cross country skiing from Dutchman Flat, hiking, climbing, and of course photography. Every year I make several photographic journeys along the cascade lakes highway, so I decided to spotlight some images that emphasize this area’s impressive beauty. Sparks Lake is a favorite location of many photographers and I am no exception. I have to start my exploration of this ara with an image of one of one of the most beautiful sunsets I’ve ever witnessed. It was the sort of scene which makes me nervous with excitement. Part of what makes this one of the favorite images in my portfolio is that Debbie and Emma were there to share in this exquisite scene. Emma to this day refers to this image as “Froggy Lake” because of all the frogs she and Debbie studied that evening.
Sparks Lake Sunset
The following image is another taken with Emma, but it required more effort than the previous image. This was a scene I scouted while sea kayaking on Sparks Lake with my good friend, Mike Croxford, AKA “Old Mike”. Therefore, the next morning, I awoke long before sunrise, scooped Emma out of bed in her footy pajamas and we drove to Sparks Lake where I made trips awding back and forth in waist deep water carrying gear and Emma to a small island, where this shot was taken. I was consumed with the scene and Emma was consumed with sleep. She quickly fell asleep on my down jacket(see Columbia River Gorge entry) while I worked the scene. Soon the light became too harsh and hummingbirds frantically worked the scene as I had moments before.
Sparks Lake Garden
The next two images are both of Mt. Bachelor as seen earlier this summer along the shores of Sparks Lake. the first displays a channel of water gracefully coursing through a field of buttercups, one of the first flowers to announce the arrival of spring along the cascade lakes highway.
Mt. Bachelor and Buttercups
The following image is of Mt. Bachelor fronted by a foreground of Mountain Heather Blooming on small islands adjacent to the shores of Sparks Lake. This specific area of Sparks Lake is in my experience, essentially a holding basin designed by mosquitos in order to exsanguinate crazed landscape photographers, namely myself.
Mt. Bachelor and Mountain Heather Islands in Sparks Lake
From this image I move along to another of my favorite cascade lakes, Elk Lake. Elk Lake has more developed areas and is famed for a small but relatively stable population of sail boats residing there. My favorite area of the lake is the “south beach” area, cleverly named for the fact that it is on the south shore and has a beach and not because is sports art deco architecture, palm trees, or a prominent fashion district. The following image was captured near south beach with South Sister Mountain in the background. The most difficult part of capturing this image was waiting for the dozens of hummingbirds to clear the scene before exposing my film. Had I not waited the hummingbirds would have been represented by an unattractive blur due to the long exposure times I usually utilize with my large format camera.
South Sister, Elk Lake, and wildflowers
Next is an image taken this July showing a foreground of columbine, where I fought a similar duel against dive-bombing hummingbirds repeatedly invading my shot. I especially like the early morning fog breaking up the scene, adding to this landscape photograph.
South Sister, Elk Lake, and Columbine along the Cascade Lakes Highway.
Finally I’ll conclude with a Sparks Lake shot taken earlier this summer at sunrise. Another stunning light show at a truly beautiful location for landscape photography in Central Oregon.
Sparks Lake sunrise with South Sister and Broken Top
Oct 30, 2008 | Central Oregon Fine Art Landscape Photography, Oregon Landscape photography blog entries | 2 Comments »
Painted Hills and cumulous clouds
The painted hills unit in the John Day area of Central Oregon has been a favorte of photographers since its discovery because of its stunning colors and other worldly scenery. I’ve been there many times. Some visits were more successful than others, but one particular shot that I’ve obsessed over has eluded me for quite some tome. In early May, in certain years, yellow flowers bloom in the folds of the painted hills, creating a stunning extra element to what would otherwise be an attractive scene. Well, this was one of those few select years.
A lone Painted Hill glows with morning's first light
I left Ben Oregon early on MAy 30th to scout the painted hills. To my excitement, the chenactis and golden bee plants were blooming just as I’d hoped. The ranger, Scott, a very nice fellow, said it had been five years since they had bloomed in the folds of the painted hills. He even promised an up close guided tour of the hills if I returned that evening, so I returned to Bend and returned later that evening, with my wife, Debbieand daughter, Emma. I was fortunate enough to capture this image of blooming bee plants in the grooves of the painted hills the next morning.
Chenactis flowers and Painted Hills, central Oregon
It was truly a privilege to get such wonderful access to such a special location. This short trip was any landscape photographer’s dream. Great sunrises, sunsets, phenomenal subject matter and my little family camping in the great outdoors.
Sunset on the Painted Hills of John Day
Below you’ll find a shot Of Emma and Debbie in our little tent at the end of a long day of hiking in the John Day unit of the painted hills of Oregon.
Emma and Debbie
Oct 24, 2008 | Oregon Landscape photography blog entries, Travel and Family Photos | 3 Comments »
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